The present invention relates generally to hyperthermia systems and more particularly to in-line blood temperature monitoring devices for use during a hyperthermia procedure.
Whole body hyperthermia is a disease treatment technique or therapy that has been used to treat a number of diseases. In operation, blood is removed from the body and heated externally to a target temperature and then returned to the body. Various treatment protocols have been proposed and several studies are directed to assessing the efficacy of the therapy for several disease indications. Suitable structures for carrying out whole body hyperthermia are known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,391,142 to Sites et al., incorporated herein by reference. A microprocessor-based hyperthermia is known from the Optichem SLH 100 system. Although the efficacy of the therapy is now established, there is a continuing need to improve the devices used to carry out this procedure. One particular problem relates to body temperature estimation. In general, the return of heated blood to the body is met with compensatory mechanisms which attempt to cool the body. Conventional thermal sensors are marginal and there is a need for improved temperature monitoring devices for carrying out hyperthermia.
The present invention improves the ability to control the blood and body temperature. An improved temperature monitoring device is especially well suited to extracorporeal whole body hyperthermia, but may be useful in other patient care settings as well.
The sensor disclosed is connected to the blood flow circuit near the patient. The temperature sensor has a very small mass and is placed on a strut. The strut places the thermal sensor in the laminar blood flow of a duct or fitting. In this fashion, a fast reacting thermal assessment may be made of blood temperature as blood enters or leaves the body.